haufted all that could be learned in English of the Arabs and Perfians, the Tartars and Turks; and the fame ardour urged me to guess at the French of D'Herbelot, and to conftrue the barbarous Latin of Pocock's Abulfaragius. Such vague and multifarious reading could not teach me to think, to write, or to act; and the only principle, that darted a ray of light into the indigefted chaos, was an early and rational application to the order of time and place. The maps of Cellarius and Wells imprinted in my mind the picture of ancient geography: from Stranchius I imbibed the elements of chronology: the Tables of Helvicus and Anderfon, the Annals of Ufher and Prideaux, diftinguished the con. nection of events, and engraved the multitude of names and dates in a clear and indelible feries. But in the difcuffion of the firft ages I overleaped the bounds of modesty and use. In my childifh balance I prefumed to weigh the fyftems of Scaliger and Petavius, of Marfham and Newton, which I could feldom study in the originals; and my fleep has been difturbed by the diffi. culty of reconciling the Septuagint with the Hebrew computation. I arrived at Oxford with a stock of erudition that might have puzzled a doctor, and a degree of ignorance, of which a fchool-boy would have been afhamed."

At the conclufion of this first period of his life, Mr. Gibbon was tempted to enter a proteft against the praise of happiness in our boyish years; and indeed he had much reafon ;-for the light-heartedness of fifteen, was an age of fuffering to him, and the intenseness of his application must have unfitted him for the sprightly race of Eton or Westminster,

"Who foremost may delight to cleave,
With pliant arm,
urge the flying ball."

Or

the glaffy wave,

(To be continued.)

THE

TH

THE REFLECTOR.

[No. I.]

for aught that ever I could read,

Could ever hear by tale or hiftory,

The course of true love never did run smooth.

SHAKESPEARE.

HAT the paffion which we diftinguifh as LOVE is of the first importance to fociety, is allowed by the concurring voice of all ages, and that its expectations have no fooner been formed than difappointed, is the fentiment of general experience. With the effects of unfortunate attachments, the poet, the dramatist, and the novelift, have, in every period of time, interefted the fympathy of their readers. Nor has the philofophic hiftorian refufed his tributary tear to the narratives of ill-fated love. Common life, too, is replete with numberless instances of unnoted though perfecuted affection. From the ftoried beldame of the hamlet, whose withered memory is yet alive to the tale of ruftic woe, to the ducal canopy which emblazons a heart, whose best emotions have been facrificed to wealth; love-unreturned, forms the mutual fubject of complaint and regret. While endeavouring then to expose the causes which fo frequently darken the profpects of our brightest days, let it not be imagined that I purpose to overturn the juft barriers of prudence and authority. Obedience to parents, guardians, or tutors, is a duty of the highest kind, against which, while exercised unoppreffively, and with judgment, it would be a crime to cavil or infinuate; but, when these refpected powers act in oppofition to every right of juftice and humanity, a diftinction must be formed; and momentous, though neceffary, it is to mark this tender, this delicate boun. dary.

Marriage has ever been confidered by every wife ftate as the finew of its ftrength and the foundation of VOL. I.

K

its

its true greatnefs. The rewards held out in the earlier ftages of time as inducements to matrimony, and the honours particularly obferved towards the father of a family, prove the value in which the hymeneal bond was then held. The youth of almost every nation, during the infancy of its conftitution, were taught to regard with a facred ardour the duties of the parental character. Early affected by a virtuous ambition, they grew up for their country; nurtured a well-habited offspring to fupply the depredations of age; and health, natural and political, invigorated the rifing community. Not till a feeming fplendour elevates the brow of a declining ftate, does the fuperciliously spurn the ties of integrity and affection. Then, when the flush of luxury is mistaken for the glow of temperance, the will contemn thofe delights which braced her first existence; but, then too, fhould the felect remnant of those who live for mankind, do more than deprecate the pre vailing evil-endeavour to restore the primitive excellence of their country. If marriage, viewed only as a politic good, recommends itself to the protection of every reflecting mind, what, when we connect it with each amiable and endearing quality, that charms this fcene of trial, must be thought of those, who, while they profefs a religious adherence to the welfare of man, difcourage the matrimonial union?

The romantic turn of youth, is the common pretence for forcing afunder the wishes of congenial hearts. This pretext is true only in a limited fenfe: and, before it be at all admitted as a juftification of parental feverity, it is for those who advance it, to review the manner in which they have disciplined their children. Has the temper of the child ever been unfolded by the parent? To the cenfure, that in the choice of a profeffion the bent of a child is feldom confulted, may be added that his inclinations are often as little questioned refpecting a choice which, in fome measure, confirms his happiness or mifery. Romantic as we may then be,

it is in the feason of youth, that we are moft fenfible to the attractions of female grace. No doubt, the force of a delufive fancy may invest the object of its attention with many imaginary perfections, which are not realized in after days. But, whence does this fancy originate? From a fervent and undissembled esteem.

Exclufively engroffed with the contemplation of her beauty, the lover breathes his high raptures in the language of artless fincerity. As yet he knows not the cold tones of diffimulation: and his heart, animated with the noble impreffions it has received, disdains an inadequate return. Now teems his breast with elevated defigns; and now the wife parent fhould improve the harveft of his foul! Such opportunities, however, are neglected: and not till affection has determined its object, does the prudential monitor interpofe his authority. Then the tranfported bofom of love is awakened to all the woes of difapprobation. The fond youth is roufed from his dream of joy by the iron tongue of reproach. Difobedience, and its confequent-difinheritance, are fet before his terrified imagination; and every pang that his enraged governor can inflict, is denounced for the expiation of his crime. Pity, alas! Juftice is refufed an audit. "Renounce your choice, or the means of supporting that choice," is the only proffered alternative.

May there not be a poffibility of avoiding these lamentable extremes? For my part I am perfuaded, were parents in general more attentive to the interefts and difpofitions of their children, we fhould feldom witnefs fuch wretched difagreements.

Alas, the marriage of infants is not confined to princes. People far beneath them in every circumftance of rank and affluence, pursue the same unnatural connections. Scarce a father who does not plan fome partner for his yet infant offspring, which, when refifted by the uninfluenced withes of his child, that child, though never warned of the paternal allotment, is commanded

K 2

commanded to accept, to the lafting ruin of his felicity. It requires no extent of obfervation to be convinced, that tyranny engenders refiftance: and methinks that the cautious footsteps of age might have traced a furer path to compliance. If thofe who intend to difpofe of the juvenile heart, would tenderly entice it into the courfe of their own intentions, perhaps they would feldom be foiled. Very foon in life, as hath been obferved, our affections expand beyond the circle of home, and concentrate in fome beloved ftranger. How easy at this grand epocha, for the father to accuftom his fon to the fociety of his deftined bride. The track which his anxiety has marked for the profperity of his heir might then be opened to his view, and accepted without compulfion. Some delicacy, some generous artifice, it is true, must be exercised in fuch a tender expedient. Accuftom the lover to the company of his miftrefs, but accuftom him to it as a favour. Never hint it as your defign that he is to be united to her: rather, appear ignorant of his attachment. But, when you perceive that he is rivetted to the felection you have made, question him on the nature of his attachment; evince no uncommon pleasure on difcovering the fuccefs of your deception; let him nevertheless know, that if his conduct continues to merit your approbation, you will not oppose his hopes; and thus, while you are establifhing your own purpose, shall you claim the gratitude of your child, Let not the wisdom of years difcard thefe falutary hints. We err ftrangely, when we imagine, that young minds are unworthy of this attention, that youth is to be threatened into duty. Granted even that youth may be threatened into duty; how poor muft the heart be which is contented with an ungrateful fubje&tion!

When exerted on the part of the parent, fhould these gentle offices fail, and the affections of his child fix in difcord to his views, on what principle does he affume the annihilation of his childrens' happiness?

Genuine